Ben Affleck Explains Decision Not to Show Michael Jordan’s Face in Air Movie

Ben Affleck has explained the reasons for not portraying Michael Jordan Aira film about the legendary NBA star’s collaboration with Nike.

Directing and starring Ex girlfriend Star, Air is an upcoming sports drama based on the real-life story of marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) who works with Nike to pursue a young Jordan to create his own line of sneakers.

Jordan’s collaboration with Nike was the main catalyst in creating a long connection between the worlds of sport, fashion and pop culture, with the immense popularity of his Air Jordans.

However, the basketball star is nowhere to be seen in the film.

In a new interview, Affleck explains the decision not to portray the star on screen despite his name being an important part of the story.

“He’s a hero to me. And I know how important and meaningful it is, especially in the African American community,” he said The Hollywood Reporter.

“If you’re f***ing around talking about Michael Jordan, do it respectfully. No one is asking you to do hagiography, but do it damn right.”

The actor went on to express how adorable and “powerful” he finds a character, claiming he’s “never known anyone with that kind of charisma and power that walks into a room and it just resonates.”

After Affleck requested a meeting with Jordan to discuss the film, the pair eventually went golfing together and brainstormed ideas on how to tell the story, including casting Viola Davis as Jordan’s mother, Deloris.

However, he chose never to show Jordan on screen simply because the athlete’s frame is too unique to convincingly recreate.

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“Jordan is too big,” Affleck said simply. “He exists above and around the story, but if you ever flesh it out, if you ever say, ‘Yes, that’s Michael Jordan,’ we know it’s not really. It is a fake.

“I thought if the audience put everything they thought about him and remembered into the film and projected it onto the film, it worked better.”

Elsewhere in the interview, he shared his regret at taking “advice” that prevented him from working with his goodwill hunt Co-worker and longtime best friend Matt Damon more often.